The Crucible of Time
by fujifunmum
Summary: *Complete* Chapter 8 + Epilogue The Jewel is complete. Not for the faint of heart. Quests are for the bold and the adventurous, be they human, demon or hanyou; revealing all of our hopes, our dreams, our strengths, and our flaws.
1. Default Chapter

Inuyasha is owned byTakahashi Rumiko.

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The Crucible of Time

By Fujifunmum

Chapter 1

**Author's Note**: This fanfiction was done for a challenge round robin contest on Iridescent Dreams. It will be posted in chapters every few days with the final chapter and epilogue posted after the contest deadline, January 31, 2003. To read all the entries, go here:

http://iridescent-dreams.net/contest2.html

Sorry, the contest has now been extended to February 28, 2003. This entire fic will be posted shortly. 

Inuyasha sat high in a tree above the campsite, brooding. He looked up at the half moon above him, surrounded by a sea of stars glistening in the late evening. No danger of his youkai blood waning with the moon tomorrow. No danger of that at all. Whatever choice he made, the moon's power over him would soon be gone.

Had it really been four years? He looked down at the sleeping figure of Kagome in her sleeping bag, her bike not far away. She was sound asleep with one hand held out towards Shippou. The young fox no longer slept with her in her sleeping bag, but he was not so grown up yet that he didn't want to feel the warmth and comfort of his surrogate mother's hand. Sometimes he held her hand in his own paws, sometimes he snuggled beneath it, and sometimes he just slept near her.

Across the campfire Miroku sat in pain. His air void was near collapse. They had increased the pace of their search as the final shards came closer within their grasp. He couldn't last much longer. Naraku's bees had taken their toll, and his longevity with it. If they didn't complete the jewel soon and destroy Naraku their friend would not be alive to see it. But that wasn't going to happen. It was going to be tomorrow.

Kagome had graduated from High School. She no longer did homework or complained about her 'tests'. She only brought a few books with her now when she came through the well. Those were for reading for pleasure, along with a couple of advanced first aid manuals. She had decided to postpone 'college', whatever that was, until the Shikon no Tama was complete. She knew that if she didn't stay here with them and help find the last of the shards that Miroku would die. So she stayed. She rarely went home and didn't stay long when she did go. She had to see her family once in a while, but she lived here now. At least until tomorrow.

Sango slept fitfully a short distance from Miroku. Longer than his reach, but just beyond it. As they searched Inuyasha often caught her looking at Miroku with pain in her eyes; yet her lifeline was her steadfast hope for Kohaku. Her duty required the purification of the jewel, vengeance for her village and her family, but her heart cried out for her brother's return. Once they had gathered all the loose shards they would have to regain the ones from Kouga. That would only leave the shard in her brother's back to complete the jewel. Tomorrow would be the day. Tomorrow they would get Kouga's shards and find Naraku.

To be precise, today they had met with Jaken. Sesshoumaru had found Naraku. He railed against the way Naraku had used him and believed that his self-awarded title of Lord of All the Western Lands gave him jurisdiction over everyone and everything in the Western Lands. He took Naraku's insulting behavior towards him very personally. He had searched out Naraku while the Inuyasha band of friends had searched out the jewel shards.

His brother cared nothing for the Jewel or it's many shards. They were of no importance to him. It was Kagome who had broken through the years of bitterness between the brothers to form this very loose and fleeting alliance. She had approached Rin, now a young lady in Sesshoumaru's keeping. Rin was human and understood the importance of their need for the Tenseiga. Rin had been revived by the Tenseiga. She understood how it could revive Kohaku once the shard had been removed from his back. It was Rin who had approached Sesshoumaru and suggested the trade. He doubted his brother would have listened to anyone else, but he listened with rapt attention to Rin. 

Rin begged Sesshoumaru to continue with his search for Naraku. But when that search was complete, she implored him to work with Inuyasha and his friends to destroy him. There were too many other factors not to consider the offer. Inuyasha and his friends would destroy Naraku; in return Sesshoumaru would revive Kohaku with Tenseiga. Inuyasha had another goal in mind, but even Rin could not say whether Tenseiga was capable of such an act. His cold hearted brother had used Tenseiga so rarely that it's true capabilities had never been tested. Sesshoumaru was unconcerned with the lives of humans, and would rather have defeated Naraku himself, but Rin was very convincing with her tears. As Lord of the Western Lands he was willing to let these underlings do his bidding. 

Rin and Kagome had discussed the fact that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru would be on the field of battle at the same time, fighting on the same side, for the first time. While Inuyasha's inner circle would have welcomed help from anyone, including Sesshoumaru in defeating Naraku's daemon hoard, they were more reluctant to have Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru together. Rin agreed to try to delay Sesshoumaru's arrival until the jewel was complete. Kagome agreed to try to draw Inuyasha away. She felt it unlikely he would actually leave, but she might be able to keep him away from Sesshoumaru. Keeping the brothers apart was their only hope for this small respite in their battle with each other, and both Rin and Kagome knew it.

Kagome had explained Sesshoumaru's involvement to Inuyasha very carefully. All of her tact and well-chosen words had helped, but their friends knew that Inuyasha badly needed Tenseiga's help. With Tenseiga, came Sesshoumaru. On one point he was adamant.

"Does my idiot brother know not to bring Toukijin with him? The last thing I need when I am fighting Naraku is for my idiot brother's evil sword to be attacking me!"

"Rin and I discussed it," Kagome said, biting her lip and glancing away from his piercing gaze.

"Tell me, Kagome." Inuyasha demanded.

"Rin did not believe there was any chance that Sesshoumaru would even listen to her if she made such a request. Sesshoumaru will bring what he chooses." She paused, letting the bad news sink in. "It is still our best hope, Inuyasha," she finished quietly.

Inuyasha could only avert his troubled gaze. She was right. They would have to chance it and his brother's duplicity. He would have to somehow trust his brother and focus on defeating Naraku. It was their last desperate chance before the air void would claim Miroku.

So it was agreed, the two brothers would work together at last. Neither trusting the other, but each persuaded by the females they trusted without question.

Still Inuyasha watched the moon. Its phases had dictated his life since birth. He had grown used to watching the heavens for their prediction of his fate. What prediction did they hold for this final battle? Would the heavens thank him for his efforts by releasing him from their hold? Or would the fates demand his defeat again? Naraku had won all of their prior encounters. This was their last and best hope to complete and purify the jewel, save Miroku and restore Sango's brother. If the fates smiled perhaps even more could be accomplished, there was no telling until the battle began.

The moon and stars were beginning to fade. The night was moving across the sky in its ever changing, ever constant aspect. The constellations were waning, the moon driving them off to their daylight sanctuary.

Inuyasha was regretting his decision not to sleep. His actions tomorrow would be critical to their success. His reactions and skills must be excellent. He closed his eyes to block out the evidence of the waning evening and tried to rest.

The breeze brought him wisps of the last embers of the last campfire of their group's journey. It was layered with the scents of his friends' aspirations. Sango's mingled with her hope, trust and hidden fears; Miroku's determination and powerful mystical support; Shippo's childlike trust and belief; and his Kagome. His Kagome's scent brought him only love, faith and trust. She believed in him and supported his decisions, even when she wasn't fully aware of what those decisions were or how they effected her. She gave him her complete trust and support. At his side, she was fearless.

Comforted by the relaxing unwinding of the evening, Inuyasha slept fitfully, high in his tree and dreaming of a day that might never dawn.

Just before dawn, his fleeting rest was disturbed by the strong and unwelcome scent of a familiar intruder. Inuyasha came fully awake and rolled off his branch to land just beyond his circle of friends, defending them from the coming danger.

She approached him with her hand extended.

"Give me the shards, Inuyasha." 


	2. Chapter 2

The Crucible of Time

By Fujifunmum

Chapter 2 

"Kikyo," Inuyasha stated the obvious as he stood before her, blocking her way towards the campsite where his friends rested unaware of her presence.

"Give me the shards.  Or come to hell with me now, Inuyasha.  Vengeance will be mine either way."

"Tomorrow, Kikyo.  I will give you the shards tomorrow.  Kagome is sleeping, but tomorrow I will get them for you.  Meet me at the site of Naraku's former castle.  Sango is going there to pay her respects to her family.  I will be able to steal the shards and give them to you while they are distracted by their grief."

"Why should I believe you?  I would rather kill that sorry excuse for a Miko and take the shards now.  Why should I wait?"

"I won't allow you to hurt Kagome."  Inuyasha stood firm in his resolve, blocking the path of the resurrected Miko.  He closed his eyes against the foul scent of her, remembering a time when her scent had brought him pleasure, not the pain of seeing her vengeful spirit.

"Your promise, Inuyasha.  I have your promise.  You belong to me."

"I have not forgotten, Kikyo.  You have my promise.  Tomorrow.  I will give you the shards tomorrow.  Just before sunset."  His sad eyes searched hers for relief, for any sign that her humanity and gentleness had returned.  He found nothing to comfort him in the dark gray orbs before him.  Cold eyes and cold kisses were his destiny unless he could undo the damage of his blurted calling to her at Urasue's so long ago.

She reached out to touch him, to lull him into agreement in her embrace.  He stepped aside, yet held Tetsusaiga out to block her passage towards his friends, his Kagome.

She paused to look deeply into his golden eyes, searching for something she could not find.  Then she turned and retreated, disappearing into the forest without a mark of her passing.  She called back to him, "Just before sunset.  As you wish.  The shards will be mine and you, Inuyasha will return with me to hell."

He ran his long fingers through his silver hair, pursing his lips with disgust at yet another facet of the intricate plan that could go wrong on the slightest whim.  "Feh!  Timing the battle to end just before sunset will not be easy," he grumbled as he sprang back up to his branch.  It was nearly dawn and the others would be awake soon.  Too soon their path would take them on the longest day of their journey.  A day which would likely see them defeat Naraku or find them all dead at his feet.

They had lost as much as they had gained in the journey.  The friendship and close-knit family relationships they had developed, despite the bickering that continued unabated, were a comfort to each of them.  They were lonely individuals who were no longer alone.  Yet their friendship was balanced by the knowledge that one or all of them could die at any time.

They had already lost their two oldest members and the source of much of their early strength.  Naraku's kugutsu Kagura had killed Kaede nearly a year ago.  She had attacked the old Miko's house with fire, using her wind power to whip it into an inferno while the Miko was trapped inside.  The traveling friends had arrived to find her house aflame, with no means to put it out.  Inuyasha had gone into the flames to retrieve Kaede immediately, but she had been burned almost beyond recognition.  Before he could unleash the power of Tetsusaiga to repay Kagura's treachery, Kagome had purified her into non-existence with an arrow.  It was the first time Kagome had come into her full power as a Miko.  The arrow's true aim a foreboding shadow of her place in their plan for today.

They had buried Kaede in the shrine, next to Kikyo's empty grave.  Sango and Kagome continued to tend her herb garden, which was all that remained as evidence of her presence in the village.  She had shown both women all of the herb secrets and potions during their many resting spells with her.  She had been generous with her care, concern and talents and was sorely missed by the entire group.  Miroku's incantation and prayers at her passing had been the beginning of a more serious tone for them all.  The lighthearted nature of the pace of their travels had diminished in her loss.

Myouga-jiji, too, had fallen to one of Naraku's creations.  He had successfully evaded the dangers of their quest time and again, but even he had not sensed the frightful apparition of evil that Naraku had visited upon them the previous spring.  They had set up camp in a remote forest area only to be surprised in the dead of the night by the onslaught of Naraku's deadly miasma.  An apparition of evil created to evoke the image of an angel accompanied the poisonous aura.  The winged surreal nature of the beast lulled the viewer into a false sense of beauty and peace.  The deadly combination was nearly fatal to them all.  Inuyasha had dissipated the miasma around them with his Wound of the Wind, his Kaze no Kizu and used Tetsusaiga to put an end to Naraku's angel.  The others had recovered, but the miasma had proven fatal to the older, smaller youkai.  Inuyasha had not understood the depth of feeling he had for the diminutive flea demon.  Usually his knowledge arrived too late to be useful, or he had disappeared to avoid trouble.  But Myouga-jiji had been assigned to help Inuyasha by the Inutaisho, his father.  He was the only remaining youkai connected to his sire that had befriended him, and Inuyasha found he sorely missed him when he was no longer around to be irritating.

The friends had understood better than Inuyasha himself the depth of his grief.  They had been solicitous to a fault, and the houshi had even offered prayers for him, an unheard of tribute to a full demon in Sengoku Jidai.  His last tie with Kyushu, the place of his birth and fleeting home with his mother, was gone.

Naraku had suffered losses, too.  Kagome had killed Kagura and Inuyasha had decapitated the angel, but it had been Miroku who dealt the deathblow to Kanna.  She had been sent to spy on them to steal their souls and Miroku had absorbed her with his air void without a second thought.  Neither she nor the demons Naraku had sent to protect her had even seen it coming.  Fortunately the bee demons, the Saimyoushou had not been with her.

Sango and Kiara had fought valiantly and well by Inuyasha's side.  He admired her persistence as he watched the sadness of her brother's plight sap her vibrancy.  The end of their quest was nigh, and none too soon.  All of them were weary of the fight.  It had to end before they lost their strength or their will to fight.

Kagome and Shippou buoyed the spirits of the group, offering their warm and generous smiles and strength to their bruised and wounded friends.  They could cajole Sango and even Miroku into smiling when nothing else worked.  Kiara kept Sango's heart from breaking.  It was clear that Sango and Miroku had developed a deeper friendship, but nothing could come of it while Miroku's future was in question.  All of them had reason to continue, to persevere and to long for the end of the quest.

It was a clear day dawning on the last day of the quest for the Shikon no Tama.  The members of the band rose silently from their fretful sleep and quietly prepared for the coming battle.  They had said all of the words before.  They had shared all of their hopes and plans.  They had spent all of their time, energy, and life's blood working for this day.  There was nothing left to do but meet their enemy on the final field of battle.

After a brief meal, the friends hugged each other one last time, looking to Inuyasha for their final direction.

"Follow me."

They left the grove and headed into battle.


	3. Chapter 3

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The Crucible of Time

By Fujifunmum

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Chapter 3

The somber group approaching Naraku's castle did not know whether the vision of the building they were seeking was real or had been created by Naraku. Even Sango, who had been the first to see the castle when her family had been lured there to expel the spider demon, did not know whether it was the same castle, a different re-creation or an illusion. Nor was its location stable. They had seen it in other parts of the area during their long search for the shards, the Shikon no Kakera, and Naraku. Their experience taught them that to ask was futile; to wonder was a waste of time and to assume reality could be fatal.

Inuyasha led them, as he always did when there was serious trouble ahead. He longed to have Kagome by his side on this last day, but feared an early entry by Kikyo should she be loitering in the area. He persuaded Kagome to act as their rear guard, with young Shippou perched on her shoulder looking backwards to help her. Soon the youngster would be too big for Kagome to carry. Her bow was balanced on her other shoulder, with her brace of arrows alongside. She had become an excellent archer over the years. Her arrows had always been strong with her power, but Kaede's death had seemed to bring her Miko powers into full force and effect. She would be a formidable foe for Naraku today. All their lives would depend on her talent and accuracy in this last battle. It had been clear for quite some time that for all of Inuyasha's power and techniques, only Kagome's purifying power would be able to kill Naraku. 

The death of Kagura had taught them much. Her arrow had not only struck home and killed her immediately, but the force of the purification had appropriately dispersed the molecules of the Wind mistress onto the passing breeze. There was nothing left for Naraku to recall, save for the several shards his powerful extension had carried within her.

Naraku had most of the shards already. The only reason they could be sure that he would meet them in battle today was their possession of the remaining shards. His demon scouts had been observing their movements, reporting back to their master as each precious shard was detected by Kagome and retrieved by Inuyasha and his fellow fighters. Naraku knew the end was near, just as they did.

It had taken nearly a week to arrange the logistics for today. First Inuyasha had to be convinced that Kagome must speak with Kouga. The mere thought of her meeting with the wolf youkai without him made him too incensed to speak. Finally, Miroku and Sango both agreed to go with her, guaranteeing Inuyasha of her safety. He understood that only Kagome would be able to convince Kouga to give them his last two shards. None of the others would get close enough to even speak with him. Even with the other fighters as protection, Inuyasha had followed the trio to their "secret" meeting place and observed from just out of smelling range. His keen eyesight had brought him the hated sight of Kouga holding both of Kagome's hands, standing near her as if he had a right to be that close to his Kagome. Only the closeness of Miroku and Sango prevented him from bursting onto the scene in rage. The shards must be collected, and if Kouga didn't give them to Kagome, Naraku would kill him for them.

The first appointment of their fateful day was with Kouga's wolf pack. Kagome had negotiated this meeting place and the wolves had willingly offered to help in the last battle against Naraku. He had killed many of their pack and Kouga wanted nothing more than to see Naraku dead. Unless it was to see Kagome as his mate. 

Inuyasha had not been pleased with the plan, but he recognized the offered help as just the diversion their group might need to help with Naraku's ultimate defeat. It could sway the course of the battle, so Inuyasha reluctantly consented. 

The friends traveled silently to the rendezvous point, reaching it earlier than expected. They set up watch surrounding the designated clearing, but had just barely settled in to wait when battered and bleeding members of Kouga's wolf clan started arriving. Their battle scent and blood announced their arrival to the demons well before they could be seen. Already their carefully crafted plans for Naraku's demise were going awry.

The first wolves to arrive gathered around Kagome, whom they regarded as Kouga's mate, to tell her the disturbing news. Their pack had been brutally attacked by a swarm of youkai at dawn. Kouga had been seized, many members had been killed, and the survivors were on their way to the clearing. Many of them were injured, but they were still determined to offer such help as they were able in the fight to retrieve their leader and defeat Naraku.

Kagome's gentle nature soothed their worries as she assured them that Kouga was far too tough to be defeated so easily by Naraku. She reminded them that the entire group was now going to do their best to save him. With Inuyasha and Tetsusaiga on their side, how could they lose? The wolves understood that their situation was desperate, but they also knew the Miko herself would be fighting by their side. The presence of her well used bow and purifying arrows was more comfort to them than the hated Inu youkai.

The larger group began the final stage of the trek to Naraku's castle. Inuyasha and Shippou had scouted the trail yesterday with Jaken, selecting what the best place for the final battle might be, presuming they had the ability to choose. It was now up to the fates, and the fates had never been kind to Inuyasha. He led the way with great trepidation.

The scent of dispersed miasma hung in the air, hazing the warm sunshine of the day. The closer they got to the castle, the more the scent seemed to linger. Inuyasha had chosen to come in through the side of the castle where Sango's father and the other Taijiya from her village were laid to rest. The others used as much stealth as possible to approach the castle. Sango and Kiara stayed behind to pay their respects to the dead. It was only a short pause; to stay longer would be to invite her own death. While Sango wished to visit her family's gravesite, she had no wish to join them. The fire of vengeance burned brightly within her this day, fueled by the passionate desire to somehow save Kohaku, the only other surviving member of her family or village.

As planned, Kiara transformed as they left the graves, Sango leaped astride her and touched down briefly to gather Miroku and Shippou to her side. Inuyasha and Kagome now led the surviving wolves in a direct frontal assault on the castle. Inuyasha begged Kagome to stay behind him, but on this day she would not be persuaded. It was their final day as soldiers fighting together. They would prevail or die side by side.


	4. Chapter 4

The Crucible of Time By Fujifunmum  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The entryway to the castle was unguarded. Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged meaningful glances. They had agreed earlier not to be drawn into an enclosed space where it would be more difficult for each of them to wield their best weapons. They took up position on the high ground surrounding the front gate and waited.  
  
Kiara hovered near the second story, allowing Sango and Miroku to leap off and enter the castle at the second level. They were to flush out their quarry. Kiara and Shippou landed on the roof, then flew to the highest parapet of the castle and kept watch on the surrounding area and forest. The importance of their duties was shown immediately as a huge swarm of demons emerged from the forest to the right of Inuyasha's position at the front. Kiara and Shippou gave adequate warning for Inuyasha to draw Tetsusaiga and meet the onslaught with the Wound of the Wind, his Kaze no Kizu. Easily taking out hundreds of demons with each swing, Inuyasha dispatched the oncoming hoard without exception. Many Saimyoushou were amongst the demons, showing that Naraku had expected the Inuyasha band of friends. Fortunately, Miroku was still searching in the castle for Naraku's cowardly hiding place.  
  
Engaging Inuyasha left the others less well defended from the other side of the castle. As had happened on the fateful evening when Sango's family was attacked, there arose from the gravesite a spider demon of huge proportions. The wolves took up position to defend Kagome, while she cocked her first arrow and took a deep breath to steady her aim. The spider went down with at a direct hit to its head and Kagome signaled to Shippou. He hoped on Kiara and they retrieved the shard she had spotted in the demon and gave it to her before returning to their post on the roof.  
  
There was new activity from within the castle. Sango had left her Hiraikotsu with Kiara, preferring a katana for the closed in spaces of the hallways of the castle. She had dispatched several guards in her search for Naraku, but was now rushing to a ruckus she heard on the floor below. As she tore down the central staircase in a rush, she could hear the tingling jangle of Miroku's staff. The sounds spoke clearly of intense hand to hand fighting. She hurried to his side, helping turn the tide, as he had been greatly outnumbered before her arrival. She held off the attackers as he unleashed his void briefly to clear the hall.  
  
Her concerned glance told him she would have preferred to fight them than risk his last use of his Kazaana. He sadly shook his head. "There is no time for caution today, my dearest Sango. If my Kazaana should take me while I fight at your side, my death will not be in vain."  
  
Sango shot him a quick smirk. "If I had my Hiraikotsu you'd be nursing a sore head right now houshi. The only way you're going to die by my side today is if I kill you for your wandering hands." With that she brushed his hand away from her hip as they ran down the main hallway towards what should be the largest room in the castle. Her words were harsh with emotion, but her kind eyes revealed her true feelings.  
  
They were anxious to find Naraku or some evidence of his whereabouts. They needed to flush him into the open for their plan to work. And they were hoping to find Kouga before he was killed.  
  
Suddenly they were running towards a new miasma. Miroku pushed Sango into the nearest doorway, shouting at her to escape to the outside and join the others. He headed into a nearby door that led to the lowest rooms in the castle. He continued down, knowing the miasma would rise in the structure. He began searching furiously for Kouga, finding only a few guards that he quickly knocked out with his staff. Soon there was only one more room to search on this level. Taking a quick listen and preparing himself to meet the expected resistance he forced open the door with a leaping kick.  
  
The effort was wasted. There on the floor was Kouga, legs bloodied from the hasty removal of the last of the shards not in either Kagome's or Naraku's possession. The houshi quickly bent to see if the wolf youkai still lived. He did not. Uttering the briefest prayer he could manage, Miroku fled back to the main part of the building. He could only hope the miasma had risen to the upper levels by this time so he could resume his search of the main floor.  
  
Naraku calmly rose from his seated position on the expansive porch at the back of the castle. It gave him a serene view of the forest behind him and the lake beyond. His senses and his demon communicants had given him the information that Inuyasha was holding off the collected demon hoard, and that Kagome had killed his favorite large spider extension. It was no matter. The important day was at hand. All of the fragments of the Shikon no Tama were either in his hand, in his servants, or held by the Miko in front of his castle. It was time for him to reconstruct the jewel.  
  
He sent for Kohaku and the boy came to his side immediately. His sad eyes betrayed his angst at serving Naraku, but like the kugutsu extensions, he had no choice.  
  
"Time to kill your sister, Kohaku. This time she must actually die, do you understand?"  
  
Kohaku nodded and made his way to the entryway of the castle.  
  
Miroku saw Kohaku walking out the front door before him, the final shard of the Shikon jewel gleaming in his back, spelling his ultimate doom. Rather than follow Kohaku, his gaze backtracked to where he had come from. There the monk might find his wary quarry.  
  
He ran to the back of the castle, seeing Naraku's baboon figure seated on the back porch. Only time and battle would tell if this was the original or yet another kugutsu puppet. Forgetting the plan to flush Naraku to the outside, Miroku gave in to the hatred he felt for this demon that had cursed so many generations of his family and attacked. It was to no avail. As was often the case, the baboon figure merely collapsed under the force of the staff, falling to the floor in a heap. Miroku examined the costume for the presence of a shard. Finding none, he left the way he had come, planning to join his friends in front of the castle.  
  
Miroku had not yet reached the front hallway in his passage back to the battle sounds when he heard the buzzing of the Saimyoushou. The noise heralded the end of his ability to use his air void in the battle, but this time the buzzing was much louder. Instinct told him to run, and he bolted to the front door, escaping the structure and stepping to the side of the entryway in time to see a huge swarm of the Saimyoushou exit. Naraku had intended to kill him with the vast amount of Saimyoushou in evidence. Fortunately, they swarmed out directly in front of a very pissed off Inuyasha who dispatched them immediately with one Kaze no Kizu.  
  
"Where the fuck is he, Miroku? The battle is joined, if we don't flush him out we cannot stand."  
  
Miroku merely shrugged and jangled his staff at the hanyou. "Sango and I searched the entire castle. He is well hidden." He signaled for Kiara and Shippou to come down to the front door. When they arrived he whispered instructions to them and they rushed into the castle.  
  
Sango was too consumed with her fight with Kohaku to notice Kiara's departure. He was pressing her, but she was trying not to inflict serious wounds as she defended herself.  
  
"What?" Kagome inquired of the houshi. He just shook his head, his eyes cautioning her that he did not wish to say anything yet.  
  
Before the two small demons could return, a new spider demon had arisen over the top of the castle, obviously headed for their original position. Kagome got in another round of target practice. This time she dropped the spider down over the top of the porch where Miroku was standing. He crawled out from under the squirming legs; snatched out the shard she pointed to and rushed over the join the women and the wolves behind Inuyasha.  
  
"Did you have to drop him right on top of me? I was afraid the roof of that porch wouldn't hold." He said as he handed her the shard.  
  
Kagome dropped it into the shard container around her neck and giggled. "Just making sure you were awake, Miroku. You looked a little tired over there leaning on your staff." Miroku smiled at her. Even lame humor was welcome as they waited for the next appearance by Naraku.  
  
The next one to appear was not Naraku, however. Shippou emerged from the front door on a transformed Kiara carrying the lifeless body of Kouga.  
  
Kagome cringed as the wolves yelped in horror. Inuyasha continued to fight the endless flood of demon hoards, taking only a moment to bark at them to take the body to the gravesite. Sango and Kagome grimly nodded. They had agreed beforehand that the dead of their party would be taken to rest with her family.  
  
Sango's expression hardened as she signaled to Kiara to retrieve her Hiraikotsu now. The pet demon quickly brought it to her and she screamed as she delivered the fiercest and deadliest blow she was capable of to her brother. She thought she saw his pleading eyes soften as he went down under her attack. She reached down and plucked the precious shard from his back.  
  
Kagome held her as she cried harsh tears, reclaiming the shard to join the others in her carefully held vial.  
  
"I had to do it." Sango kept repeating, striving to regain her composure. This battle was far from over. She, of all of them, knew that if anything, her action had hastened the end. Kiara lifted Kohaku's body and gently laid it next to Kouga's.  
  
The wolves continued to battle stray demons who attacked outside of the demon hoard that Inuyasha held at bay. Kagome, Sango and Miroku stood with their backs to each other and their weapons ready. The trained and expert fighters were ready to fight to the death.  
  
The wolves howled and all of the fighters brought their attention to the front porch. There next to the dead carcass of the massive spider, stood a young and handsome Naraku/Kagewaki holding the mostly completed Shikon jewel aloft on his outstretched hand. 


	5. Chapter 5

The Crucible of Time By Fujifunmum  
  
Chapter 5  
  
  
  
The real Kagewaki was long dead. Sango knew that better than any of the fighters, having been tricked by him long ago into attacking Inuyasha. They believed that only the real Naraku could hold the Jewel, but even that was not a certainty in this battle fraught with magic. He raised his other hand and the demon hoard stopped attacking Inuyasha.  
  
With the flick of an eyebrow, he summoned another presence. Kikyo stepped outside of the castle onto the porch beside him.  
  
Her Shinidamachuu, bringers of the restless souls of the dead maidens she feasted on, surrounded her. The lingering miasma clouded the sky. Kagome estimated it was mid-afternoon; the battle had been going on for some time. She cast an inquiring glance at Inuyasha. He was staring at Kikyo with anger clearly showing in his eyes.  
  
Kikyo made her way directly to Inuyasha. She took no notice of the others, save for a slight glance over to Kagome. Kagome had re-directed her arrow at Kikyo, instructing both Sango and Miroku to concentrate on Naraku. If Kikyo was concerned, she did not show it. She stood directly in front of Inuyasha, who held Tetsusaiga between them.  
  
"The shards." She demanded, holding out her hand.  
  
Inuyasha was clearly irritated, but turned and left her standing there as he moved to stand behind Kagome.  
  
"What are you doing?" Kagome was unnerved by Kikyo's presence and quite concerned with Inuyasha's behavior. She did not take her aim from Kikyo's heart. She wondered if she could kill another Miko. Dismissing that, she wondered how you killed someone who was already dead.  
  
Inuyasha ripped the shards from her throat in a flash of movement and went back to stand in front of Kikyo. His eyes flashed with anger, but he placed the bottle of shards on her outstretched hand.  
  
Kagome let lose a screamed "No!" that echoed off the castle walls. Inuyasha's ears flattened with the pain of the sound and the feelings it represented. He turned pleading and pained eyes on her, begging her to trust him, to believe in him.  
  
Kagome was stunned. He had kept some part of the plan from her, she was sure of it now. She kept her aim on Kikyo, but as soon as Kikyo's back was turned to walk towards Kagewaki Inuyasha was behind her with an arm encircling her waist, whispering quietly in her ear.  
  
"It wasn't supposed to happen like this, Kagome. Aim for Naraku, not Kikyo. As soon as he completes the jewel, shoot, and shoot to kill, just as we planned." She nodded and Inuyasha resumed his protective stance next to her, ready for the next attack. He barked at Miroku and Sango to watch their flanks while he and Kagome concentrated on the couple in front of them. He signaled Kiara and Shippou to go back to the roof and keep watch.  
  
Kikyo approached the porch holding the Shikon no Kakera in her outstretched hand. She moved silently and swiftly towards Naraku with the grace and beauty that had captured Inuyasha's attention in her lifetime. Only the Shinidamachuu and the stench of earth and bones belied her real status as the undead Miko.  
  
She reached Naraku at the same time as Kiara and Shippou hit a magical barrier that seemed to materialize in an instant. The jewel was combining before their shocked eyes as it lay in his hand. The barrier intensified, perhaps driven by the jewel.  
  
Sango rushed to see to the safety of Shippou and Kiara as they fell. Miroku and Inuyasha flanked Kagome and Kagome infused her powerful Miko magic as she let fly her arrow aimed at Naraku's (or perhaps Kagewaki's) heart. The arrow hit the barrier and stopped in mid-air. The air around the arrow began to sparkle with the conflict of such deep and powerful magic. The arrow was glowing in mid-air as the sparkling, disintegrating effect it had on the barrier began to grow.  
  
Kagome lowered her bow, handed her bow and arrows to Miroku and ran closer to the barrier. She bolstered the impact of the arrow by aiming her hands directly at the arrow and the barrier. She unleashed the biggest explosion of Miko power that had ever been released. Even the undead Miko gasped in awareness that here was a Miko that rivaled or surpassed Midoriko in power. Kiara howled at her in recognition, startling Sango who was calming her after her fall.  
  
The barrier was down in less than five seconds after Kagome infused her power. But the explosion it created as it fell shook the entire battlefield. The powerful barrier blew outwards towards Inuyasha and the attackers, blowing them all back into the trees behind them. Sango and Kiara had escaped the major force of the blow and were immediately in the air searching for Kagome. She had to strike as soon as the barrier fell or Naraku could be away with the Jewel. The wolves had been blown into the trees with Inuyasha, most losing their lives in the force of the explosion. Only Inuyasha emerged, battered and bleeding, to rush towards Kagome.  
  
Kagome had fallen face down when the explosion erupted, allowing the brunt of it to go over her. Miroku had fallen over her to protect her and the precious bow and arrows. All present were shocked by her power, but the danger embodied by Naraku, whatever his form was, could not be ignored. Naraku signaled for the demon hoard to attack, knowing they would reach Kagome before Inuyasha could. Miroku was up and unleashing the force of his Kazaana in a flash, needing to buy time for Kagome to aim her bow and deliver the fatal arrow. He ignored the Saimyoushou streaming into the void; it was his last stand and he knew it.  
  
Kagome was struggling to regain her footing, screaming for Sango to find Shippou, as Inuyasha sped by her to keep Naraku engaged and stop additional attacks on Kagome. Before Inuyasha could strike, a katana appeared as if by conjuring and materialized in the chest of Kagewaki.  
  
Inuyasha was the first to recognize the sword. He was amazed that the sword had chosen to attack Naraku/Kagewaki rather than his own beating heart. Turning, he saw Sesshoumaru entering the battlefield from behind the graveyard.  
  
"I, Sesshoumaru rule Toukijin. The hate I have for Naraku is evidently greater than the hate I feel for you, little brother."  
  
"Feh," was Inuyasha's only response, there was too much danger to Kagome to concern himself with his asshole brother. He'd been forced to trust him for this alliance, he had no choice now but to turn his back on him. He moved to relieve the embattled Miroku, but was stopped by the new activity on the porch.  
  
Kagewaki screamed in pain and collapsed. He was revealed as another extension, but the one that Naraku had trusted with the jewel itself. Naraku himself must be close by. As Kagewaki crumpled both Kikyo and Kagome lunged for the jewel. Kikyo was closer but Kagome was quicker. She scooped up the jewel, smacked Kikyo upside the head and returned to her place at Inuyasha's side in a flash.  
  
"Was that absolutely necessary, Bitch?"  
  
"No," Kagome paused then smirked and said, "Yes."  
  
Her mind snapped back to the battle at hand as she clutched the completed jewel and raised her bow to cock another arrow. She spotted Rin and Jaken waiting for Sesshoumaru behind the gravesites, but she couldn't find Shippou anywhere. She screamed again for Sango and Kiara to find Shippou; she had not seen him since Kiara's collision with the barrier.  
  
Inuyasha just frowned at her. "Concentrate on Naraku," he barked. "If we are successful Shippou will be fine one way or another. If not we are all dead."  
  
Kagome shuddered at his words, but struggled to regain her composure and steady her aim. Miroku was fading as Inuyasha leaped to relieve him. The Kaze no Kizu dispatching the demon hoards as Miroku struggled to restore the hand guard over his enlarged void. He collapsed with the pain of the effort and the poison of the absorbed demon bees.  
  
Sesshoumaru astonished them further by recalling Toukijin from the crumpled heap that had been Kagewaki and taking up a stance at Kagome's side.  
  
"I, Sesshoumaru, Demon Lord of the Western Lands, will not allow Naraku to continue to disturb of the peace of my land."  
  
Kagome could hear Inuyasha's low grumble on her right. She tried to shush him when she heard Sesshoumaru mutter something very low. She couldn't swear to it, but she thought he said, "damn puppies".  
  
Kikyo sat next to the heap that was Naraku, stunned by the power and dexterity that Kagome had just flaunted in front of her disbelieving dead eyes.  
  
Suddenly, from the roof they heard the unmistakable laughter of Onigumo. He was a pitiful sight after the handsome and well-dressed extension that was Kagewaki. He looked like someone who had been dead for over 50 years. But it was clear that he was about to unleash the wrath of Naraku on their heads.  
  
Kagome cocked her arrow as a swarm of spider demons attacked from both right and left. Inuyasha handled the ones on the right, Sesshoumaru the ones on the left. Sango leapt with Kiara to unloose her Hiraikotsu at the pitiful but dangerous Onigumo. Her boomerang made contact with his slight form, ripping the gi off his back and exposing the spider shaped burn on his "skin". He screamed in rage and flooded the area with the most poisonous miasma they had been exposed to yet. Inuyasha used his Kaze no Kizu Wind to disperse the noxious gas, but he could not aim at Onigumo directly for fear of hitting Kikyo who was directly under him, still on the porch. He screamed at her to move so he could execute another Kaze no Kizu, but his brother reacted just as she leapt off the porch.  
  
"I, Sesshoumaru, Demon Lord of the Western Lands will not permit such a pitiful miasma as this to prevail." Stunning them all, he unsheathed Tenseiga. They all knew Tenseiga had the same kind of capabilities, but none of them (including Sesshoumaru) had ever seen the sword's wound of the wind. He executed it flawlessly, dispersing the miasma completely and reviving Kagewaki in the process.  
  
"Need I, Sesshoumaru, remind you Inuyasha that I was the first to use the Kenatsu with Tetsusaiga as well? Perhaps I, Sesshoumaru, should have given you swordsmanship lessons, little brother."  
  
Inuyasha's growling increased as he muttered, "Meals would have been an even better idea, asshole."  
  
"I, Sesshoumaru, had not considered that, little brother." Kagome's eyes went from one brother to the next with alarm. Things were getting out of hand and it was almost sundown. It was time to end this battle now.  
  
She took careful aim, infused the arrow with the maximum of her Miko power and struck Onigumo directly in the heart. The molecules that had once been his body dispersed and blew away with his miasma.  
  
She put a hand on Inuyasha's arm to silence him and turned quickly to Sesshoumaru. It was time to get him to deliver on his end of the bargain before their brotherly enmity could distract them both.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, thank you for helping us rid the Western Lands of Naraku." She delivered a swift kick to the shins to the hanyou beside her grumbling, growling and muttering "Feh."  
  
"I believe Rin has shared our wish that you use Tenseiga to revive our fallen friends. We have placed them in the graveyard you passed coming here for their safekeeping during the battle. Perhaps we should adjourn there now?"  
  
She and Sesshoumaru began moving towards the Taijiya graves. Kouga and Kohaku were growing cold in the waning sunlight. Hopefully the elapsed time had not been long enough to keep Tenseiga from reviving them. The sword's revival of Kagewaki gave them hope.  
  
Sango and Kiara had gathered the dead wolves from the forest behind them and were placing them alongside their fallen leader. The small fox form held tenderly in Sango's arms was the last body to be placed. Gently, Sango lowered the lifeless Shippou next to Kohaku.  
  
Kagome cried out in alarm at Sango's actions and rushed to her side. To her imploring eyes and streaming tears Sango hugged her and said, "The fall from Kiara knocked him out. He may have been injured as well, but the blast from the barrier blew him into the trees. He did not suffer, Kagome- chan. Have faith that Inuyasha's brother can revive him. I, too, am struggling to hold onto that faith."  
  
"I, Sesshoumaru will hold to my promise to use Tenseiga for your fallen friends, Miko."  
  
Inuyasha did not join them. Instead he moved towards where Kikyo waited, standing alone and wondering at his intent. Miroku was nursing his wounds on the porch, but the restoration of his hand to wholeness with Naraku's death had negated the effect of the poison of the Saimyoushou. For him, the lifting of the curse had lifted all of the effects of the Kazaana. He called out to Inuyasha, struggling to rise and asking if the hanyou needed help. Inuyasha just shook his head and continued toward the resurrected Kikyo. Miroku moved to assist the disoriented Kagewaki. The rewards for releasing the young lord from Naraku's control should be great indeed.  
  
Inuyasha thought as he approached Kikyo that the revival of Kagewaki must surely be a sign of the great capabilities of Tenseiga as Naraku had taken over his body long ago, keeping it as one of his many kugutsu puppets until the very end when he had been forced to flee to his original form of Onigumo. Inuyasha's heavy heart swelled as he took the arm of the unwilling Miko and dragged her after Kagome and Sesshoumaru.  
  
"It's time, Kikyo. You will stand with the wolf, Kohaku and our fallen friends to see if my father's fang can revive even you, the undead. If your humanity is successfully restored I will have kept my promises to you. If not, I will go with you into hell."  
  
"What of my Shinidamachuu? The souls of the maidens are all that is keeping me alive since my soul has been stolen by your bitch Kagome." Kikyo continued to struggle as Inuyasha implacably placed her beside the dead wolves.  
  
"She is not your reincarnation, Kikyo. And even I, Sesshoumaru, do not know if Tenseiga can revive one such as you. I have my doubts, but if you stand with the others, we shall see."  
  
"You will keep your promise, Inuyasha?!" Kikyo was not at all pleased with the prospect of submitting herself to the will of the Tenseiga. "I will drag you into hell with me as my revenge!"  
  
Inuyasha gave her a simple nod of agreement. Kagome paled as Kikyo stayed where Inuyasha had placed her next to the wolves. Sesshoumaru was preparing to swing Tenseiga to invoke the wind of revival. Why had Inuyasha not discussed his intentions with her beforehand? Kagome knew the answer was simple. He did not want to distract her from her duty to destroy Naraku by purification and to purify the Shikon no Tama at last. She looked down at the completed Jewel in her hand. The dark shadows that had been there before she had taken the jewel into her keeping were already gone. It was the unspoken measure of her true strength that merely holding the Jewel purified not only Naraku's influence, but also the original embattled Midoriko and demons trapped within. It was already pure in the fading light of the sunset, reflecting only the glorious colors of the sky. Kiara, feeling the reincarnated presence of Midoriko came willingly to sit by her side. Kagome turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru and prayed that his sword would work, that all of the slain fighters and Kikyo would be revived.  
  
The swinging of the sword that heals cut the silence surrounding the dead Taijiya graves. The effect was nearly instantaneous. Kouga, Kohaku, Shippou and the wolves revived nearly at once. Shippou leaped into Kagome's waiting arms, snuggling into the safety of her loving caress. Sango gathered the dazed Kohaku in her arms, hugging him to her and releasing the tears of her long years of trial.  
  
Unfortunately, the effect on Kikyo was also instantaneous. Her Shinidamachuu began to leave her. One by one the dead souls left her aura and her undead body to resume their original flight to the netherworld.  
  
The effect on Kikyo was unexpected. She did not demand that Inuyasha go to hell with her, as both Kagome and Inuyasha thought she would. Instead she was forced by the most primal of examples to accept that she was dead and could not be revived by any but the most evil of means. She saw the humanity in the face of Kohaku, the boy who had been forced to kill his own family by the evil Naraku. She saw his pain at his revival and wondered if it might not have been kinder to allow him to die.  
  
That thought stunned her and she turned it in on herself. Before Inuyasha had blurted out her name, she remembered that she had wished to remain dead. Then she looked skyward and saw the souls of the Shinidamachuu as if for the first time. They each represented a soul of a dead maiden; a soul she had stolen in order to continue her life of vengeance. Inuyasha had agreed to comply with her vengeance. He had agreed to go to hell with her. Even the sad faced hanyou who stood before her had exhibited more human kindness towards her than she was capable of in her tortured earth and bones form.  
  
As she was forced to let go of her Shinidamachuu, Kikyo finally followed her sister Kaede's advice and let go of her anger and vengeance.  
  
"Where is Kaede?" She asked, her voice cracking and her legs buckling beneath her.  
  
Inuyasha knelt by her side and told her the truth. "Dead. Killed by Kagura. We buried her next to where you were buried in the Shrine near the village." The sadness in Inuyasha's voice startled Kikyo further. He felt more pain and sadness about her own sister's death than she did. Her unnatural form was incapable of it. Only the light fading from her false eyes reflected the scattered humanity she was capable of now that her anger and vengeance were gone. "Kagome killed Kagura. Purified her into dust before our very eyes. That was how we knew we could kill Naraku."  
  
"Sesshoumaru is right." She breathed, collapsing to the ground. "She is not my reincarnation. " She turned pleading fading human eyes on Inuyasha and Kagome. For the first time Kagome saw the Kikyo that Inuyasha had loved. "Bury me with my sister. Let me rest with Kaede."  
  
Kagome set Shippou down and came to Inuyasha's side, each of them held a hand of the long dead Miko who was returning to a shell of earth and bones before their wide eyes.  
  
"I release you from your promises, Inuyasha. I forgive you."  
  
  
  
To be continued. 


	6. Chapter 6

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The Crucible of Time

By Fujifunmum

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Chapter 6

Kiara bore Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, Shippou and Kikyo's body back to Kaede's village. Inuyasha carried Kagome on his back as he ran through the forests back to the Go-Shimboku tree where Kikyo had impaled him all those years ago. The evil presence that had deceived them both was finally dead.

Kouga and his wolves had taken their leave of Kagome, thanking her again for her intercession with Sesshoumaru. She and Rin had persuaded him to travel back to his home via the path that led to the wolves killed earlier in the day by Naraku's demon hoard attack. It was uncertain that Tenseiga would revive them, but the pack's help in fighting Naraku had convinced The Demon Lord of the Western Lands that these canine subjects were worthy of his help. It was not really on the way back to Sesshoumaru's home, but Rin convinced him that she had a desire to see a particularly fragrant flower that she had heard only grew on a slope near there. Sesshoumaru ignored the fact that it was a ridiculous attempt to convince him, and surprised everyone by agreeing. Jaken was especially disgruntled. It was bad enough that his Lord has deigned to use the sword of his father to benefit Inuyasha and his friends, but to stoop to help lowly wolves was too much. Rin booted him across the graveyard, and Jaken was forced to run to catch up with the departing Lord.

Kouga stayed behind to have a final quiet word with Kagome. As he approached and took her hands in his, Inuyasha's frown turned into a violent growl. He was stopped from attacking Kouga yet again by the look Kagome turned on him. It was the exact same look he had given her earlier in the day when he had taken the Shikon no Kakera from her. It asked him to trust her, to believe in her, just as he had asked her for trust and belief regarding Kikyo. He had no choice; he held back his anger as he clutched at Tetsusaiga. Only the fact that he knew Kouga could not let his asshole brother get too far ahead of him kept him from exploding.

"Thank you for your help, Kouga. And for the help of your entire pack. The Western Lands owe you a debt of gratitude."

"You are my woman, Kagome. How could I refuse you? Come back with me now. Your search with the inukkoro is finished. Come home with me where you belong."

"I am and will always be your friend, Kouga. But my place is by Inuyasha's side. Naraku is dead, but our quest is not yet finished. We have more to do."

"I will come for you, Kagome."

"Come only as a friend, Kouga."

Kouga took his leave and ran to catch up with Sesshoumaru and his wolf pack. Kagome couldn't tell whether he had finally believed her words of friendship, but she could feel the relief of Inuyasha behind her. The anger that had blazed so brightly was seeping away.

Kagome was exhausted from purifying the evil that was Naraku as well as the latent evil in the formation of the Shikon no Tama. Once on Inuyasha's back she slept peacefully, holding him close as he ran. The Jewel was once again on the necklace that Kaede had given her when she had first come to Sengoku Jidai. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

It had been a good day, a good battle, and one that left them closer to completing their quest. The Jewel was whole, the threat of Naraku gone, and Kikyo soon to be at peace. The thoughts the hanyou had while holding his Kagome were no longer the worried and anxious ones of the night before. He and his friends had prevailed. But there was still more to do.

They arrived at the village long after midnight, choosing to spend the night beneath Inuyasha and Kagome's God Tree rather than suffer the inquiring eyes of the village.

In the morning, Miroku showed them his healed right hand. He kept the casing and the rosary intact. After a lifetime of wearing them, he was not yet ready to cast them away. They became a symbol of his future rather than a reminder of his family's sad past. 

He celebrated a particularly long and prayerful laying to rest for Kikyo, including their dear departed Kaede in the finalizing of that chapter. It gave Inuyasha an opportunity to reflect on his relationship with Kikyo surrounded by his friends and without having to express himself. The hanyou was both touched and grateful.

Kikyo and her sister were interred together in what Kagome knew would become the shrine grounds in her time. It was a sad and awkward moment for both Kagome and Inuyasha. She had loved Kaede deeply both as mentor and surrogate mother. Inuyasha had loved both of the sisters. Now they were both at peace and in a safe place.

"I will watch over them in my time Inuyasha. They will be safe and cared for always."

He merely nodded, too overcome with the final recognition that the search was over, Kikyo at rest and the future at hand.

Healing Kohaku's heart was going to take a lot longer. The boy remembered every evil thing that Naraku had forced him to do. He was still appalled that Sango had permitted him to be restored by Tenseiga. He was withdrawn and hollow-eyed, barely speaking to anyone, especially Sango. She was a constant reminder of the rest of his dead family.

After the services for Kikyo, Sango took Kagome aside. She was most anxious to return to her village to try to make a new start with Kohaku. She fervently hoped that the familiar surroundings would remind him of happier days. Kagome asked her to be patient for at least a few days while she, Miroku and Inuyasha recovered their health and equilibrium. Sango would have left without them, but Kagome stopped her.

"You will be needed Sango. Our quest is not finished. Please, just be a little patient. It won't be long, I promise." Kagome had some ideas about the next phase of their quest, but it would be at least a little more time before she was sure about where they were headed.

They again stayed under Inuyasha's tree, the Go-Shimboku, in the forest named for him. The villagers left them alone, save for gifts of food. They saw the new grave at the shrine and knew that Kagome had protected them, and perhaps the hanyou, as well. After a full day of resting, eating and generally recovering from their battle with Naraku, Kagome called the group together after lunch under the God Tree for an important discussion.

"My family in the future is very dear to me," she began, "but no dearer than the family I see around me now, here in Inuyasha's Forest. We have defeated Naraku and completed the restoration of the Shikon no Tama. These are important achievements, not just for us, but for everyone in Sengoku Jidai." She stood and went over to Inuyasha to bring him to his feet so they could stand together before them.

"I want to share this with all of you." She calmly reached underneath the neckline of her sweater and pulled out the Shikon no Tama on its chain. She carefully slipped the chain over her head and held the Jewel itself up by two fingers to glow crystal clear in the sunlight.

"The Shikon no Tama is whole and purified." Sango gasped. Kagome turned to Sango and continued. "Your village gave the Shikon no Tama to Kikyo to purify. She was a strong and capable Miko but Onigumo prevented her from accomplishing the purification of the Jewel." She didn't add her own opinion that Kikyo had not been able to purify the Jewel because she did not have enough strength. There was no purpose to be served by defaming the dead Miko.

When everyone had had a chance to examine the precious Jewel as Kagome held it safely in her powerful grasp, she turned to Inuyasha.

"Trade you." She smiled and said, taking his hand and placing the Jewel in it. Then she used both hands to grasp the prayer beads and took them off over his head. The two leaders of the quest stood, under the tree where they had met, each with a precious necklace in their hands, smiling broadly at each other. The others were surprised and waited anxiously to see what Inuyasha would do. He was now released from Kagome's spell and had full and free possession of the Shikon no Tama he had sought for so long.

What would he do? How he would choose? Kikyo had wanted him to be human; Inuyasha had wanted to be full youkai. Kagome just wanted him.

Inuyasha seemed frozen in place. He had not expected Kagome to give him the jewel freely. Nor had he expected her to remove the prayer beads of her own free will.

He stood there, looking from the Jewel to Kagome's smiling face, and then back to the Jewel for what seemed like an eternity. He remembered the long ago words of Miroku about the Jewel, that it had never brought anyone happiness. He looked over at Miroku and saw worry in his eyes. Worry for a friend. No one would stop him; no one would force him. The choice was his alone to make, surrounded by their love and friendship.

Inuyasha looked around at the faces watching him, wondering what he would do. They were his friends. They were curious. They would accept him whether he was human, youkai or hanyou. He saw them for what they had become, his family.

Then his gaze fell on Kagome. Her beautiful eyes smiling at him, her face glowing with the love she felt for him, trusting him to do the right thing. Trusting him to take care of all of them. Trusting him to know what to do. Not telling him, not even asking him, just accepting. The love he felt from her made his heart leap.

He was unbound. He was free. He was accepted. For the first time in his life he was whole. He was Inuyasha who wielded the Tetsusaiga in defense of them all. He was hanyou.

He took the shining clear Jewel, purified by the love of his life, and lovingly placed it back in her hand, closing her fingers around it and holding her hands in his. 

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7

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The Crucible of Time

By Fujifunmum

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Chapter 7

Kagome held the Shikon no Tama in her hand, along with the prayer beads that had both subdued Inuyasha and bound him to her. She had released him and given him the Shikon Jewel. She had trusted him to make the right choice.

His choice pleased her. She had not expected it, yet she was not surprised. He had always insisted that he wished to be full youkai. She remembered the barrier in the cave where the jewel was born casting him out when he made his boast that using the jewel to become a full youkai would put it to rest. She tore her gaze from the Jewel and smiled at him again, hoping he would see the love she felt for him glowing in her eyes. He did.

She put both necklaces around her own neck and took Inuyasha's hand. "Let's sit down and talk about what we do next. OK?" He nodded and they sat close together, sheltered by the Go-Shimboku tree and the circle of their intimate friends.

Miroku started the discussion. "Once it becomes known that you have the Jewel again Kagome-sama, demons will continue to seek it."

Sango asked the question they were all thinking. "Would that also be true in your own time, Kagome-chan?"

Inuyasha responded for her. "There are demons in Kagome's time, too. She will not be safe with it there either."

Kagome turned to Sango and softly took her hand. "Your village, the Taijiya home, gave the Jewel to a Miko for purification. It is now purified, so I think we should return it to your village, to the cave of its birth. Do you agree?"

Sango didn't answer Kagome immediately. Her eyes clouded in thoughtfulness. She looked over at her brother Kohaku, seeing the pain of remembrance in his eyes. The Jewel had brought her village nothing but pain and destruction. It had been used to force Kohaku to commit the vilest of crimes: crimes from which he might never recover.

Sango then looked to the familiar faces of her family for support, for guidance. Their calm concern was evident in their eyes. The decision was hers to agree or not. She nodded her assent to Kagome, "Let us lay the Jewel to rest, and with it the pain and losses of our shared past and grief. Let's rebuild from there, beginning anew in my village."

The band of friends prepared for the final task of their journey. They had faith in the strong Miko powers of Kagome. If she believed she could return the Jewel to the cave and set it to rest there, they would see it done.

Traveling to Sango's village was not a long journey after the exhausting and arduous work of finding the shards and Naraku. This trip was filled with joy. The freedom to consider a future without the dark influence of Naraku on their lives elevated their spirits and restored their belief in a brighter future.

Miroku was the most affected by the change. His fully healed hand an outward manifestation of the lifting of his family's curse. His powers remained intact, and his internal mysticism appeared to be healing the effect of the curse on his mortal soul. His healed hands no longer wandered and his mind was set on only one woman, one who needed more healing still to ease her own soul.

Miroku offered, and Sango accepted the help and healing that his spiritual side had to offer. Inuyasha and Kagome could only stand amazed at the surreal changes in the relationship of their dear friends. No longer was Sango wary of his closeness, nor did Miroku abuse the privilege. Instead, Miroku offered the spiritual guidance that was his true calling to both Sango and her brother. Sango's soul was on the mend, aided by the intensity and sureness of the love Miroku offered her now that he had a future to share. Mending her brother's soul would be a long hard journey, one that the two of them could take together, while rebuilding their lives as they rebuilt her village.

Upon reaching the once hidden Taijiya stronghold, they made camp in what was left of Sango's family home. She felt a peacefulness there that spread easily to the others as they helped restore such order as they could for a night's rest.

In the morning, they headed in silence to the cave, Inuyasha leading them, his hand resting on Tetsusaiga, a newfound sureness of purpose and pride in his stride.

The barrier stopped him abruptly, retaining the memory of his arrogant and hasty boast that his use of the Jewel to become full youkai would set the Jewel to rest. Kagome, wearing the purified Jewel around her neck, passed easily into the ancient birthplace of the Shikon no Tama. The purified Jewel broke the barrier, allowing all of them to pass, including Inuyasha. He had a brief moment of grief as he remembered the last time they had been here and the refusal of the cave to allow Myouga-jiji to pass within. He missed that worthless flea.

Kiara, transforming, curled at the feet of the crystallized Miko, Midoriko. Kagome and Sango were both surprised at the action, but reached out to stroke and comfort the feline youkai. Had Midoriko been a friend of youkai, too?

Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, Shippou and Inuyasha ringed Kagome and watched in support and love as she removed the Shikon Jewel from around her neck. As she approached the crystallized Miko who was frozen in endless battle with the youkai demons, the crystalline structure began to glow, recognizing the child of its conflict, the Jewel of the Four Souls.

As Kagome held the Jewel on her outstretched hand, the crystallized hand of Midoriko moved to meet her. The two most powerful Miko's of all time, Kagome and Midoriko joined their hands and hearts the moment the Jewel came between them. The blinding light of their Miko powers flashed in a torrent of purifying, healing power.

Midoriko took the power of the purified Jewel within her, dissolving it in her hand and thereby ending the ancient battle with the youkai as she set their souls free at last. They disappeared in the blast of power, leaving only the shimmering specter of the long dead Miko, smiling in heartfelt thanks at her true reincarnation, Kagome. Kikyo had been a weaker shadow, yet a portent of the future.

Her figure began to disperse, dissolving into shimmering starbursts of light, her soft whispered message echoing throughout the cave. 

"Stay."


	8. Chapter 8

The Crucible of Time By Fujifunmum  
  
Final Chapter  
The wondering band of friends returned to Sango's village in silence, leaving an empty cave behind them. Nothing remained of either the Jewel or the ancient battle between Midoriko and the youkai. The only sound had been Kiara's sad yelp of sorrow when Midoriko dispersed, followed by the long dead Miko's echoed whisper, "Stay."  
  
They shared a noonday meal, sharing small words of everyday humor and comfortable family teasing. Their arduous task complete; they were not yet ready to discuss their future. Kagome was strangely quiet until Shippou crawled into her lap, demanding she pet him and scratch his ears.  
  
"Let's pick a house to live in Kagome. You'll like it here, I promise."  
  
Kagome looked down at the kit in surprise. Then she looked at the questioning faces around her. It was clear that they had all assumed that she was staying here in Sengoku Jidai with them. She looked past them to the village. Could she really stay here and help rebuild the village? She looked to Inuyasha; could she stay here and build her life with him?  
  
"Stay," said the kit on her lap, a forlorn look on his sweet face.  
  
"I miss my family back in my time, Shippou. I've spent so much time here in the last few years, I need to spend time with them, too."  
  
Inuyasha looked pained, but said nothing. He wanted to speak to her in private.  
  
They spent the next few days repairing Sango's home and gathering what could be salvaged from other buildings in the village. Miroku and Sango were settling in, drawing Kohaku into the warmth and comfort of their new relationship.  
  
Kagome convinced Shippou to remain with Miroku and Sango while Inuyasha took her to the well. Here he could play with Kiara and help Miroku and Sango. There was nothing left for them at Kaede's village, save the well.  
  
"We'll take good care of him, don't worry," Sango assured her as Inuyasha hoisted her on his back for the trip to the well. Almost as an afterthought she added, "Or you could just stay."  
  
As Sango turned away, she caught a glimpse of the sadness in Miroku's eyes and turned back to stop them, but Inuyasha was already well away. When she turned back to question Miroku, he was already walking back towards their new home. Sango ran to catch him, taking his arm to ask about the concern she had seen in his eyes.  
  
"Seeing is not the same as knowing, Sango. Our friends will do as they must."  
  
Sango felt a new fear in her heart, but knew Miroku would say no more.  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha didn't speak on the way back to his forest. She felt the strength of him beneath her, his hair streaming around her as he sped them back to the shrine, back to the well. She clung to him out of habit, out of need, out of love. He held her securely, feeling her warmth, absorbing the joy of her radiating love.  
  
They sat beneath their tree and finally pledged their love to each other. Quietly, the lovers passed the afternoon together in peace in Inuyasha's forest.  
As the full moon lit up the evening sky, he turned to her slowly and said, "Must you go back?"  
  
"Would you be bound again so soon?" Kagome chided him gently, taking his hand in hers and she turned them towards the old bone-eaters well.  
  
Inuyasha's instincts flared. "There's something else. I feel it. There's something else we must do. Let's stay here together under our tree and make sure we have taken care of everything." He tugged on her hand to change their direction, but Kagome resisted.  
  
"We have been over everything a million times Inuyasha. I haven't seen my family in too long." She hesitated, looking at the longing in her hanyou's golden eyes. They were tinged with just a hint of fear. His instincts were tingling and making it impossible for him to ignore them.  
  
"We are your family. "  
  
"Come back with me," she said.  
  
"I won't fit in."  
  
"Come back with me," she said.  
  
"What would I do there?"  
  
"Come back with me," she said.  
  
"Stay."  
  
She shook her head and continued. "We have defeated Naraku. We have released the Jewel. You are unbound. Together there is nothing we can't do."  
  
She touched his cheek. He nodded his assent. They walked in silence to the well, the keeper of his past, and the keeper of her future.  
  
She took his hand. They stood on the lip of the old well structure, taking in the sounds and smells of his forest under the full moon.  
  
Together, they jumped.  
The sound echoed for miles. The piercing sound that split the quiet beauty of the Sengoku Jidai night in Inuyasha's forest. It was a new sound, a sound of intense command.  
  
Whenever this sound reached the ears of an Inu youkai or any canine, they raised their head and joined. It was instinctual and imperative.  
  
Inuyasha stood at the bottom of the dilapidated well, looking up at the full moon, leading the canine choir in the chorus of his pain, destined to hear its unending echoes forever after.  
  
Even now, a canine baying at the moon sings of the lost love of Inuyasha. 


	9. Epilogue

The Crucible of Time By Fujifunmum  
  
Epilogue  
She reached the ladder first and climbed several steps, excited to be home, excited to have her heart's desire. He was right behind her. As they had jumped into the well, their eyes met with the promise of future happiness. Then she sped ahead, a little anxious when she lost hold of his hand in the void.  
  
She lightly touched down in the old well house and sighed her relief; smiling with pride at all they had accomplished together, all they would accomplish together in the future. It wouldn't be easy, but nothing had ever come easy for Kagome or Inuyasha. They had fought for their future in the past. Now they would fight for it here in her present. She was elated as she grasped onto the ladder, calling her joy behind her.  
  
"My mom won't even be surprised Inuyasha, I've been telling her that you were coming back with me. Promising it to myself. Preparing her and my family. You'll have a family now, too. Not that I haven't always been your family."  
  
She turned to look over her shoulder, smiling and wanting to see his expression as they started their new life together. She stopped abruptly, her face reflecting her surprise at his absence, quickly changing to inquiry, then to worry. She paused on the ladder waiting. Surely he would be there now. He had been right behind her.  
  
She looked deeply into the old shadowed pit of a well, searching its depths for an indication of his coming, and found none.  
  
After an interminable wait of perhaps ninety seconds, she jumped, hell bent to return and find him. Nothing would separate them now. Nothing.  
  
Nothing but time.  
  
She fell to the bottom of the well with a thud, incredulity taking its toll on her senses.  
  
Tears turned the bottom of the well to mud as she knelt on the dirt floor and the pain in her heart poured out of her.  
  
They had worked so hard to defeat Naraku. They had tried in vain to resurrect the dead Miko. They had lost friends, family, and regained only some of what they had lost. The Shikon no Tama had been the crucible of Inuyasha's soul. Releasing the Jewel of the four souls had only really been possible once she and Kikyo had released his.  
  
Startled, she looked up at the roof, the full moon of the present glowing slightly through the ancient cracks. The jewel had been their focus, Naraku their enemy, but the well had become her crucible: a crucible of time.  
  
She had suffered the same human frailty that Inuyasha had suffered. He had looked from the earth and bone Kikyo formed by Urasue to the encapsulated Kagome all those years ago and in one startled utterance of the wrong name had cost them personal happiness in Sengoku Jidai. Her error had been just as innocent and unthinking. And only the entire experience of the quest had given her the ability to see what she had done. She wept again. Inuyasha, back in Sengoku Jidai, in the darkness of his own forest, would never even know what she had done.  
  
It had been her choice. She saw it clearly now. The well gave her the freedom to roam between times in order to serve the Shikon no Tama. The jewel was now purified and dissolved, the souls freed. Inuyasha's crucible had been one of fire, the jewel. Hers had been one of water, the well. She had a choice, and just as his had been, that choice was hers alone. She could have stayed with him but she did not see what her Miko senses would have shown her had she looked. She was too happy. She was too startled. She wanted it all. Inuyasha and her family.  
  
In the blink of an eye she had chosen her family and the present, and the choice was as fatal as Inuyasha's innocent utterance of Kikyo's name. He, too, had chosen unwisely and without thinking.  
  
She concentrated her Miko powers and poured all the magic she could summon through her hands and into the bottom of the well. Maybe she could will herself back.  
  
The crucible of time had moved on. The well no longer held the magic of the Shikon no Tama.  
  
Though her tears she heard the faint wail of dogs baying at the moon in the distance. 


End file.
